Adventure Sailing

dventure Sailing sits somewhere between a sailing school, an adventure company and a private yacht charter operator. Based at Port Geographe Marina in Busselton, the business gives people several ways to get out on the water, from earning a Recreational Skipper’s Ticket to spending five days sailing through the Abrolhos Islands.

The business is run by Captain Matt Jones and Captain Paul Willison, two experienced mariners who have built the training around proper hands-on experience. Students are not simply sitting in a classroom talking about boats. They are steering, navigating, setting sails, standing watches and learning how life aboard a working vessel actually feels.

Adventure Sailing welcomes complete beginners, recreational sailors looking to build confidence and people working towards a professional maritime career. There are also private charters for groups that simply want a great day sailing around Geographe Bay without turning it into a training exercise.

Services in detail

The one-day Recreational Skipper’s Ticket course is aimed at people who want to operate a recreational powerboat in Western Australia. The course takes approximately five to six hours and includes theory revision, the written assessment, practical boat handling and the practical assessment. Adventure Sailing supplies the training boat, fuel, lifejacket, learning materials and instructor.

A women-only version, called She Skipper, is also available. It follows the same Recreational Skipper’s Ticket pathway but provides a supportive women-only training environment. Practical instruction takes place aboard a five-metre Quintrex training boat in the marina waters.

For women interested in sailing rather than powerboat licensing, Adventure Sailing also runs a two-day She Sails liveaboard experience. It combines practical training with time aboard the 65-foot yacht Starsand and is designed to help participants develop confidence in a relaxed environment. No previous sailing experience is required.

The longer catamaran courses are a completely different experience. Participants join the crew aboard Queimarla for three or five days, helping to plan the passage, study the weather, steer the vessel, set sails, cook at sea, navigate at night and stand watches.

These voyages can lead to International Yacht Training qualifications, depending on the participant’s experience and the course selected. Available pathways include the International Crew Certificate, International Flotilla Skipper and International Bareboat Skipper. Some qualifications require previous sea time and a marine radio certificate, so students should check the entry requirements before booking.

Adventure Sailing also provides commercial maritime training for people seeking work at sea. Its course offering includes Coxswain Grade 1, 2 and 3, Master less than 24 metres, Marine Engine Driver qualifications, General Purpose Hand training and marine radio certificates. Several courses combine online study with practical training and assessment aboard Starsand.

The Short Range Operator Certificate of Proficiency and Long Range Operator Certificate of Proficiency courses cover the legal and practical requirements for operating VHF and MF/HF marine radios. Adventure Sailing can also assist eligible students with task-book completion and additional commercial sea time.

Charters and sailing adventures

Starsand is at the heart of Adventure Sailing’s charter operation. She is a 65-foot, or approximately 20-metre, ketch-rigged sailing yacht with a distinctive timber-and-brass character and a long history of travelling along the Western Australian coast.

During the warmer months, Starsand operates private sailing charters around Geographe Bay. The whole yacht can be booked for birthdays, corporate events, weddings, bucks and hens celebrations, photography sessions or simply a big day out with friends.

Full-day charters run for approximately seven hours and can accommodate up to 24 guests plus crew. Guests can bring their own drinks, arrange catering, use the onboard sound system and stop for a swim while the crew handles the sailing.

During winter, Starsand heads north for five-day Abrolhos Islands adventures departing from Geraldton. Guests join the yacht as a small group and explore the different island groups, historic shipwreck locations, remote anchorages and clear waters of the Houtman Abrolhos. Whole-yacht Abrolhos charters are limited to a maximum of eight guests.

These trips are closer to a genuine sailing expedition than a conventional sightseeing cruise. The small group, capable offshore yacht and multi-day itinerary allow guests to experience parts of Western Australia that are difficult to appreciate on a short day tour.

Local Sailing Knowledge

Adventure Sailing’s home waters are Geographe Bay, one of the most approachable places in Western Australia to start building practical boating and sailing experience. The bay provides plenty of room for sail handling, manoeuvring, navigation exercises and longer training sessions, while Port Geographe Marina gives students a practical environment for learning marina procedures.

The coastline around Busselton also provides a natural progression for developing sailors. Beginners can start inside the bay before moving into multi-day coastal passages towards Fremantle, Dongara, Geraldton and the Abrolhos Islands.

The Abrolhos voyages introduce a very different kind of sailing. Located offshore from Geraldton, the island groups combine reef navigation, open-water passages, isolated anchorages and rapidly changing conditions. This makes the area an exciting destination, but also a valuable training ground when explored aboard a capable vessel with experienced instructors.

Adventure Sailing runs different programs according to the season. Starsand generally works around Geographe Bay during the warmer charter season before heading north for winter training and Abrolhos adventures. Catamaran voyages aboard Queimarla include Geographe Bay courses, coastal passages and selected trips through the Abrolhos Islands.

Berth types

Adventure Sailing does not advertise marina berths or moorings for rent.The business operates from Port Geographe Marina.Charter and training vessels are accessed through the marina.Berthing enquiries should be directed to Port Geographe Marina separately.

Vessels

Starsand: A 65-foot, approximately 20-metre, ketch-rigged yacht used for Geographe Bay charters, Abrolhos Islands adventures and liveaboard commercial maritime training.

Queimarla: A performance cruising catamaran used for three and five-day sailing courses, coastal passages and International Yacht Training qualifications. Liveaboard voyages are generally limited to six participating crew.

Quintrex training boat: A five-metre powerboat used for Recreational Skipper’s Ticket training and practical assessments.

People in charge

Captain Matt Jones

Owner, sailing instructor and commercial maritime trainerPhone: 0428 372 931Email: matt@adventuresailing.com.au

Matt is an approved Recreational Skipper’s Ticket assessor, powerboating and sailing instructor, International Yacht Training instructor and Australian Maritime Safety Authority assessor. He also holds a Master less than 24 metres qualification and a commercial Coxswain certificate.

Captain Paul Willison

Owner, senior marine educator and commercial maritime trainerPhone: 0458 772 581Email: paul@adventuresailing.com.au

Paul holds Master less than 45 metres and Marine Engine Driver 2 qualifications. He is also an Australian Sailing senior instructor, International Yacht Training Yachtmaster instructor and examiner, marine radio invigilator, Recreational Skipper’s Ticket trainer and AMSA-approved trainer and assessor. He has spent more than 35 years teaching maritime education.